It looks like a pretty clear, black and white answer to me. Russia always fights jihadists and terrorists, not uses them. This is apart from the fact that one has to be a lunatic to side with lunatics. Putin, for all my very restrained attitude towards him, does not produce an impression of being a lunatic. Far from it, he seems to be a very thoughtful and calm man, who knows well why he was elected by his people, unlike it is the case with his American counterpart who turned out to be a conman and a wussy who didn't last even 90 days against the swamp he promised to drain and now tries to show how macho he is. As I stated not for once, Moscow is not a good place for issuing ultimatums. This is apart from the fact which is being ignored by all those "likeminded" countries--the West has committed a cultural and geopolitical suicide in Russia when spilled Russian blood in Ukraine. It seems like Russia has no illusions about that.

If to discount a highly improbable, yet still possible, version that this whole situation is a political theater to cover up something more substantial and logical happening behind the stage, a very serious military alliance between Russia and Iran may begin to emerge very soon. At this stage, it seems to be a very logical and sensible step. Russia and Iran (through Azerbaijan and Caspian Sea) are tightly connected both by geography and now by common security objectives. Russia will not allow any kind of hostilities, much less regime change in her Caspian underbelly. Iran knows it and she has to make her moves in economic field to accommodate Russia's efforts. Iran may start with buying Sukhoi Super Jets 100s and signing the contract for deliveries of MC-21 passenger jets after their trials are over by 2019. This will be a very good step, while Russia makes sure that Iran's armed forces are properly armed. Iran's Air Force is in dire need of upgrade since the core of it, F-14 Tomcats, are long past their service life, not to mention those planes being obsolete. There is a lot Russia and Iran need to talk about and it looks like this discussion is ongoing as I type this. It's about time.

More:
http://tass.com/politics/940714ia
has data that new provocations are planned in Syria with the goal of
putting the blame on Damascus for allegedly using chemical weapons,
Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters after talks with his
Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella on Tuesday.

"We have information from different sources that these provocations -
I cannot call them otherwise - are being prepared in other regions of
Syria, including in the southern suburbs of Damascus where there are
plans to throw some substance and accuse the official Syrian
authorities," Putin said.